Two new Strategic Vision polls tonight in Michigan and Wisconsin (http://www.strategicvision.biz/political /results.htm) and I thought it was interesting to use state polling to compare Bush's approval rating, as opposed to the national approval polls we have been debating. I don't think it's reasonable to deny there has been a bump in the past month. Both states list Bush higher than similar Strategic Vision polls in August, from 34% to 38% in Michigan and 32% to 37% in Wisconsin. These are blue states that will poll lower than the national average.

In Michigan, Bush improves 3% on terrorism, 4% on Iraq but only 1% on the economy, from 27% to 28%. I realize no one wants to hear that, that Bush's approval rating is lower on the economy than Iraq or overall. While Bush is obviously receiving a bump from lower gas prices that does not appear to be impacting the view of the economy. I'm destined to be frustrated for the balance of this campaign, looking at horrid approval ratings on the economy while we insist on never mentioning it. Just the other day Bush handed us a silver platter quote by saying the economy was in great shape and he expected the election to be a referendum on the economy. Just imagine if he said Iraq was in great shape. The blogosphere and TV pundits would have been all over that. Yet Bush polls worse on the economy than Iraq. I had a previous diary with the numbers from 9 SV polls. It's beyond incredible he thinks the economy is in great shape despite the approval ratings screaming otherwise, yet we make no attempt to pounce.